Video Blog: HAYO
I am eternally grateful to the key players, risk takers and cheerleaders that took chances on me this past year and honored to share my story on HAYO, a Columbus-based advice site for young professionals. While the story gets a little gritty and unglamorous, I thought I would highlight some key lessons untouched in the video.
The abbreviated version is this: I graduated in 2009, one of the worst economies in the last twenty-five years, and despite all fortitude and resilience I could not find work. I began a dreary trudge through the basest of retail and restaurant scenarios, finally landing a decent part time job at the Container Store. There I learned sales skills and self respect before embarking on a horrible in-house experience. The calendar read 2012, and I was sitting in my oatmeal bath, broke as shit and skipping Christmas. Again.
My life began to change drastically when:
- I realized everyone had extenuating circumstances.
- I started believing in my damn self.
- I stopped letting the fear of failure cripple me.
- I stopped thinking failure would ruin me.
- I started pursuing work I wanted to do, regardless of who or how many were already doing so.
- I just made shit. For fun. And I didn't care who did/did not see it.
When I think about how well my ideas have been received, it occurred to me so many talented creatives are crippled by the above plights and don't pursue the realization of brilliant ideas. The truth is we all have genius in us waiting to be fleshed out. The confidence to do and share is what turns the dreamer into a maker.